Sizzling Higa captures BTI Open title

Twenty-three-year-old Kazuki Higa of Japan captured his maiden professional golf title with a wire-to-wire victory at the $60,000 BTI Open in Dhaka Friday. Higa, playing in only his second season as a professional, was crowned champion at the Kurmitola Golf Club after he completed his total domination of the week with a final round score of two-under-par 70 that gave him a three-shot victory at 17-under-par 271. Bangladesh’s Mohammd Zamal Hossain Mollah (70), playing at his home course, also returned a 70 to finish runners-up at 14-under-par 274 at the event tri-sanctioned by the Asian Development Tour, Professional Golf Tour of India and Bangladesh Professional Golfers Association. Higa’s (62-70-69-70), who began the final round with a three-shot advantage over Zamal, had a shaky start as he dropped a bogey on the second. Zamal (68-68-68-70) was quick to seize the opportunity as he came up with birdies on the third and fourth to draw parity with Higa. Higa then regained control with birdies on the fifth and sixth where he made two seven-feet conversions. The match came alive once again when Zamal raised local hope by getting within one shot of the lead with an eight-foot birdie conversion on the 16th.

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Also read: Higa maintains BTI Open Golf lead

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However, Higa delivered the knock-out punch with his chip-in birdie on the 17th that put him two ahead and within inches of the finish line. Zamal blew away his last chance on the 18th when he found the trees and as a result bogeyed the hole. Higa, who registered his breakthrough win in only his second event on the ADT, said, “I had an anxious start but picked myself up with birdies on the fifth and sixth. I struggled with my putting as compared to the first three rounds. “The turning point was that chip-in from the rough on the 17th. That almost sealed the title for me. It has to be my best shot of the tournament. I’m glad I produced it just at the right time. I will carry a lot of good memories back from Bangladesh including my first round of 10-under-par 62 which really set up the tournament for me. “This win has come right at the start of my professional career and gives me the confidence to go on and scale greater heights. I have the added satisfaction of prevailing over Zamal in his own backyard.” Local favourite Zamal, a two-time winner at the KGC, recorded his best finish on the PGTI in over three years. The 33-year-old Zamal has now jumped from 22nd place to sixth position on the PGTI Order of Merit.

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Also read: Higa continues BTI Open Golf dominance

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Zamal said, “I’m proud of my performance this week and I believe my game is slowly getting back to where it was few years back. My driving and putting was spot on through the week but my approach shots and wedge shots let me down especially on the last day. “However, this result does me a world of good as far as this year’s PGTI season is concerned. I’m now very much in contention in the Order of Merit race.” Sweden’s Malcolm Kokoconski (70) and Argentina’s Miguel Carballo (70) took a share of third place at 12-under-par 276. American Josh Salah was a further shot behind in fifth. The Bangladeshi duo of Mohammad Sajib Ali and Mohammad Siddikur Rahman finished tied sixth at nine-under-par 279. Divyanshu Bajaj finished as the best Indian in tied eighth at eight-under-par 280. The two others who took a share of eighth place included Bangladesh’s Mohammad Nazim and American John Catlin. Indians M Dharma (seven-under-par 281) and Udayan Mane (six-under-par 282), last year’s champion, secured 11th place and tied 12th place respectively.